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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · lean · mate · craft · tube · degree · bore · capital

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. tube — a container
  3. cell — a phone
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cell — in biology
  6. degree — temperature
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lean — thin
  9. degree — an amount
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. lean — to bend
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bore — to tire
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. capital — money
  20. craft — boats
  21. capital — a city
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. tube — the underground
  24. degree — from a university

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com